Wallabies turn to Roos to get the jump on All Blacks under high ball

The Wallabies have sought advice from several AFL big guns to improve their often-flawed aerial work. Former Swans coach Paul Roos has been seen at several recent Wallabies' training sessions helping the players improve their skills under the high ball and at restarts. It's not before time, as their poor kicking and catching skills has been a main problem area for the Wallabies for some years, prompting the SOS call to the AFL experts. Roos was brought in again yesterday, working with the players near the end of their training session at Leichhardt Oval. For some time the Wallabies and AFL clubs, in particular the Swans, have enjoyed a healthy relationship. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has also developed a strong link with the Adelaide Crows assistant coach Dean Bailey. Bailey was in the Wallabies coaches' box when they defeated Wales in Melbourne this year.

The most extraordinary Test performance of the year remains Wallabies five-eighth Berrick Barnes's match-winning effort against Wales in Melbourne on the same day his first child Archie was born. Barnes had to make a mad dash from Sydney after witnessing the birth to get to the game in time. In tomorrow night's Test program, teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper said another highlight of that day was when Barnes received the players' player award after the game. ''He then took us through the week and how special it was to him to share what went on with the guys in the change room. It was probably one of the best moments I've had in the Wallabies and one that everyone in the sheds that night will never forget,'' Ashley-Cooper said.

Mid year rugby Summer Tours 2012 Full Schedule

The 2012 mid-year rugby Test series refers to the rugby union Internationals that will be played through June, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere.For Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the Tests constitute preparation for the 2012 Rugby Championship.This series marks the start of a global playing calendar, running through 2019, established by the International Rugby Board. The calendar includes a return of traditional tours by European teams, in which a team plays multiple Tests against a southern side, often with midweek matches against provincial or regional sides. This year, all three of the teams that competed in the Rugby Championship's predecessor tournament, the Tri Nations, will host nations in three-Test series. Australia hosts Wales, marking the first three-Test series in Australia by a top European side since the Lions' 2001 tour. New Zealand is hosting Ireland in the first three-Test tour of that country since the Lions visited in 2005; it is also Ireland's first-ever three-Test series against the All Blacks.South Africa hosts England for three Tests, the first extended tour of that country by a single nation since New Zealand toured in 1996.

Week 1

27 May 2012
14:30 BST (UTC+01) England v Barbarians Twickenham Stadium, London
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)


Week 2

29 May 2012
19:45 BST (UTC+01) Ireland vs Barbarians Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

2 June 2012
14:00 BST (UTC+01) Wales vs Barbarians Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)



Week 3

5 June 2012
19:30 AEST (UTC+10) Australia vs Scotland Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

9 June 2012
19:35 NZST (UTC+12) New Zealand vs Ireland Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

9 June 2012
20:00 AEST (UTC+10) Australia vs Wales Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

9 June 2012
17:00 SAST (UTC+02) South Africa vs England Mr Price Kings Park, Durban
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

9 June 2012
14:00 EDT (UTC-04) Canada vs United States Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Ontario
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

9 June 2012
15:40 ART (UTC-03) Argentina vs Italy Estadio Bicentenario, San Juan
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)


Week 4

12 June 2012
19:30 AEST (UTC+10) ACT Brumbies vs Wales Canberra Stadium, Canberra

13 June 2012
14:30 SAST (UTC+02) SA Barbarians South vs England GWK Park, Kimberley

15 June 2012
19:00 EDT (UTC-04) Canada vs Italy BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

16 June 2012
19:35 NZST (UTC+12) New Zealand vs Ireland Rugby League Park, Christchurch
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

16 June 2012
20:00 AEST (UTC+10) Australia vs Wales Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

16 June 2012
14:00 (UTC+12) Fiji vs Scotland Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

16 June 2012
17:00 SAST (UTC+02) South Africa vs England Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

16 June 2012
18:10 ART (UTC-03) Argentina vs France Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

16 June 2012
19:00 MDT (UTC-06) United States vs Georgia Infinity Park, Glendale, Colorado
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)


Week 5

19 June 2012
19:10 SAST (UTC+02) SA Barbarians North vs England Profert Olën Park, Potchefstroom

20 June 2012
19:30 JST (UTC+09) Japan vs French Barbarians Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo

23 June 2012
15:30 (UTC+12) Samoa vs Scotland Apia Park, Apia
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

23 June 2012
15:00 AEST (UTC+10) Australia vs Wales Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

23 June 2012
19:35 NZST (UTC+12) New Zealand vs Ireland Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

23 June 2012
17:00 SAST (UTC+02) South Africa vs England Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

23 June 2012
18:10 ART (UTC-03) Argentina vs France Estadio José Fierro, Tucumán
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

23 June 2012
14:00 PDT (UTC-07) Canada vs Georgia Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, British Columbia
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

23 June 2012
19:30 CDT (UTC-05) United States vs Italy BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

24 June 2012
14:00 JST (UTC+09) Japan vs French Barbarians Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo